The invention relates to a fire protection sprinkler head of the kind adapted to be fitted to a water pipe adjacent the ceiling of a building. The head is constructed and mounted in such manner that, when the ambient temperature rises to a predetermined level, water is discharged from the pipe through the sprinkler head. Conventional sprinkler heads include a frame which supports a deflector member in the path of a stream of water flowing from the head so that water impinging upon the deflector will be directed outwardly and soak an area beneath the sprinkler head. Typical examples of conventional sprinkler heads are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,664,956; 3,770,063; 3,874,456; and 3,998,273.
Among the disadvantages of known sprinkler heads is irregular coverage of the surface to be wetted. This is caused in part by the presence of the frame on which the deflector member is mounted. That is, the frame prevents water issuing from the overhead pipe from reaching all parts of the deflector. As a consequence, the amount of water deflected by the deflector member is greater at certain zones thereof than at others. In some cases no water at all may be deflected from certain zones of the deflector member.
Another disadvantage of known sprinkler heads is that considerable variations may be encountered in the radius of the deflected water stream in the event of changes of water pressure.
A further disadvantage of conventional sprinkler heads is that they provide a spray having a heavier water content nearer the sprinkler than elsewhere, thereby minimizing the fire extinguishing capabilities in zones midway between adjacent sprinkler heads. In addition, such sprinkler heads have a tendency to atomize deflected water, thereby further minimizing the fire extinguishing capabilities of such sprinkler heads.